The present invention relates to a multi-media reproduction processing apparatus for reproducing data on a recording medium. The reproduced data is stream data including image information, such as a motion picture, still image, audio information, other processing programs and so forth. Particularly, the invention relates to a multi-media reproduction processing apparatus suitable for high speed reproduction of data on a plurality of recording mediums having different recording systems or data formats.
Conventionally, a system for reproducing image and audio data recorded on a CD-ROM (compact disc-Read Only Memory) has been disclosed in "Nikkei New Medium, Forefront Technology Report (1)", Nikkei McGraw-Hill, May 18, 1987, pages 50-57.
The construction of the conventional multi-media reproduction processing apparatus will be discussed in reference to FIG. 2.
In FIG. 2, the reference numeral 1 denotes data input unit, such as a disc drive or so forth. The reference numeral 2 denotes input data, 3 denotes data separation device for separating image information, audio information and processing program. The reference numeral 4 denotes image data, 5 denotes audio data, 6 denotes a processing program, 7 denotes an image data processing section, 8 denotes an audio data processing section, 9 denotes a processor section, and 10 denotes an input device which transmits commands for initiation of operation. The reference numeral 11 denotes a control signal from the input device 10, 12 denotes an image control signal output from the processor section 9, 13 denotes an audio control signal output from the processor section 9, 14 denotes an image frame data, 15 denotes an image output control section, 16 denotes a display signal output from the image output control section 15, 17 denotes a display monitor, 18 denotes audio data output from the audio data processing section 8, 19 denotes audio output section, 20 denotes an analog audio signal output from the audio output section 19, and 21 denotes a speaker.
Next, operation of the conventional multimedia reproduction processing apparatus will be discussed in reference to FIG. 2.
Data recording on the CD-ROM is read out by the disc drive 1 and input to the data separation device 3 as the input data 2. The data separation device 3 separates and outputs the image data 4, the audio data 5 and the processing program 6. The image data 4 is digital data, in which still image data or motion picture data is compressed using certain algorithms. The image data processing section 7 performs data expansion to generate frame data 14 for a complete one frame image. In the image output control section 15, the frame data 14 is converted into a display signal for displaying the frame data on the display screen of the display monitor 17. By this, the image data 4 recorded on the CD-ROM can be displayed on the display monitor 17 as the still image or the motion picture.
On the other hand, the audio data 5 is also digital data derived by data compression using a certain algorithm. The audio data 5 is expanded by the audio data processing section 8 and then output as the complete audio data 18. The audio output section 19 converts the digital signal into an analog signal and outputs the converted signal to the speaker 21. Through the process set forth above, the audio data 5 recorded on the CD-ROM can be reproduced as an acoustic output through the speaker 21.
The processing program is adapted to manage and control the image data 4 and the audio data 5 recorded on the CD-ROM. In response to operation of the input device 10 by the user, the control signal 11 is supplied to the processor section 9. The processor 9 controls the image data processing section 7 and the audio data processing section 8 by control signals 12 and 13 for controlling image and audio processing, on the basis of the input processing program. By this, an operation according to the processing program recorded on the CD-ROM can be performed.
In the multi-media reproduction processing apparatus as set forth above, only CD-ROMs recorded in a specific recording system or data format can be reproduced.
Namely, since the still image or motion picture data and the audio data are recorded as digital data through data compression employing a specific algorithm, on the CD-ROM, a dedicated reproduction system is required for expansion of the compressed digital data. Therefore, the digital data compressed employing a different algorithm cannot possibly be reproduced because of differences in the reproduction modes. Also, the CD-ROM recorded in the different reproduction mode generally has different data format.
On the other hand, in the disclosure of Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. JP-A-2-220584, the CD-ROM as a recording medium records, as stream data, encoded image information in which data is compressed and encoded, the audio data, a control program defining an algorithm for expansion and decoding of the compressed and encoded data, and an application program to be used by a microprocessor incorporated in the apparatus. In FIG. 2, before the processor 9 reads out the image and the audio data from the CD-ROM and outputs the data to the display monitor 17 and the speaker 21, the application program to be used by the processor 9 is read out from the CD-ROM.
In one CD-ROM, a plurality of the stream data of the image and audio, the control programs and application programs are recorded. The control program and the application program are differentiated with respect to each of the stream data.
In the above-mentioned description, the reproducing processing apparatus does not determine whether the control program and the application program are the same kind of program or different kinds of programs in relation to those processed immediately before. Therefore, with respect to every stream data of the image and audio, the processing programs on the CD-ROM have to be read out. In such case, due to a seek time of CD-ROM and a restriction of a reading out speed (150 Kbit/sec.), it takes a relatively long period of time for initiation of operation of the reproduction processing apparatus upon starting process.